


The Price of Love

by Ayekasong



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt, F/M, Post-Canon, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27034372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayekasong/pseuds/Ayekasong
Summary: Takes place immediately following the events of Through The Moon - so, spoilers!Just my thoughts on where things could go from here on out.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 44





	1. Hollow

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers ahead! 
> 
> Callum wakes up to discover that Rayla has left him behind. Here is my take on what might follow.

Thunder clapped, waking Callum up from what had been an exciting dream about flying. He could feel the storm amplifying his senses, strengthening his connection to the sky arcanum. It was like the pool where he could draw his energy from grew with each strike of lightning. A smile crept sleepily across his lips. He loved magic. He rolled over onto his back. The storm blocked most of the light coming in, but it was exhilarating to wake up to lightning and thunder dancing across the sky on his birthday morning. 

Wait. Morning? 

Yes, the light was dim because of the storm, but the sun had definitely been above the horizon for a while. Rayla should have woken him up by now. They had planned to set out together first thing -

_ Oh no _ . He sat up with a start, his eyes adjusting to the dim light of the room, and looked at the bed opposite him. No, she wouldn’t have, she  _ couldn’t  _ have.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the empty bed, save for a rolled up parchment with the feather from Phoe-Phoe lying on top of it.

“No,” Callum whispered. He jumped out of bed, his heart dropping further with every step towards the vacant place where Rayla should have been. Any moment now, he would wake up from this nightmare, he had to.

But when the parchment touched his fingers, he knew this was real. Just like the one Harrow had given him when he knew he would die. Why, why did people keep leaving him with nothing but a letter?

He unrolled the parchment, dread filling his chest, afraid of what he was about to read. 

Lightning flashed again. Instead of energizing him, it stole something from him. Thunder followed, but Callum could no longer hear anything but the pounding of the blood in his ears as he sank to the floor.

She was gone. Rayla had left him behind.

* * *

The rain had soaked his socks, but it didn’t matter. He couldn’t feel it anyway. Why had he bothered throwing on the cloak? He didn’t even know what was propelling him forward to his baby brother. Was someone else controlling his body? He didn’t care. It didn’t matter.

Somehow he managed to open the door to the little building where they would have their meals when the weather was bad. His brother and Soren were competing to see who could eat the tallest bread sandwich. Lujanne and Allen looked on with amusement as the king and his guard tried to unhinge their jaws to take a bite. They looked so happy. This would ruin their breakfast. Maybe that would matter.

Ezran turned to look at his brother standing in the doorway. “Callum! You’re late! I saved a jelly tart for you, though,” the young king beamed happily. “Happy birthday!” Bait groaned in agreement, turning a nice shade of pink.

Soren craned his neck, trying to see past the prince. “Where’s Rayla?” he asked through a mouth full of bread sandwich.

Callum, or rather, whatever was steering his body, stepped forward and handed the parchment to Ezran. "Rayla left."

Lujanne gasped. Ezran, the kind hearted boy that he was, didn’t quite understand. "Wait, what? I thought you guys were going to head out together?"

Callum looked at the floor. Had it always looked so colorless? "Yea. So did I."

“Aren’t you going to go after her?” Soren asked. “That’s what you usually do.”

Did that bitter laugh come from him? Based on the way everyone’s eyes widened, it must have. “She made it pretty clear that she didn’t want me to.” Lujuanne looked away from him, appearing to focus on something near the window. “Besides,” he continued, “we’re talking about a trained Moonshadow assassin here. I’d never be able to track her down, let alone catch up.”

Had the mood changed? Callum couldn’t tell. Everyone was quiet, though. He hadn’t meant to ruin their breakfast, but he had to tell them sometime. He would have to go back to Katolis with them, after all. Unlike Rayla, Callum would probably never survive alone in Xadia, even with Zubeia’s blessing. 

Ezran slowly stood and approached his brother. His puff of hair seemed particularly unruly this morning. He placed his hand on Callum’s arm. "Callum, I-"

He placed a hand over Ezran’s and squeezed it in a silent show of thanks. "I'm going to go for a walk." He swallowed the ball of grief that had formed in his throat. Saying it out loud had made it real. She was gone.

She had left him.

“It’s pouring out there,” Soren protested. “You’ll get sick.”

"It’s okay, Soren." Ezran countered. “Callum knows when to come back.” Soren was a good friend, and an even better crownguard. But Ezran knew his brother needed to do this alone. He looked Callum in the eyes, and spoke softly. He knew better than to argue with Callum right now. “Don’t stay in the rain too long. Please. For me.”

Callum gave a slow nod. For his brother, he would try to not get sick. Ezran had enough burdens on his shoulders without adding an ill brother to that list. Callum pulled up his hood and tugged his cloak a little tighter around his shoulders. Without another word, he walked from the building and closed the door quietly behind him.

It was odd how he could be so numb and yet feel as if razors were tearing at his heart. He was no stranger to grief. But this - this was a level of pain he was unfamiliar with. It was love laced with betrayal, a poison that couldn't be stopped. 

He found the rock they had sat on only a few short days ago, where they had argued. Where she had left him the first time. Where he had quietly called for her to come back. He should be screaming, or crying, or cursing her, or something. Anything. But there was nothing. He couldn’t feel anything. The trees surrounding him were a dull grey instead of the lush green they had been yesterday. The lake was a lighter shade of grey, nearly white. It didn’t carry the beauty and excitement it had only days ago. Now it was a blemish on this mountain, a reminder of the heart that he could no longer feel. He leaned against the rock and looked up to the sky. A solitary tear slid down his cheek.

Thunder rolled through the mountain range.


	2. Hollow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio heads back to Katolis, and Callum thinks about what his new future holds.

The next morning, the sun pierced through the trees, bringing the Moon Nexus to life, taunting the hollow shell that was Callum.

He didn’t remember much of what happened the previous day. He vaguely remembered Lujanne insisting he have a warm bath after being out in the rain. Ezran had forced him to eat something. When it came time to sleep, he sat outside of his sleeping quarters curled up in a ball, hyperventilating. Soren had found him and dragged him away. Ezran had mercifully gone in and gotten his things. They agreed that Callum should try and sleep in their quarters to get some rest for the journey home. Soren had tried to offer his bed, but Callum insisted on sleeping outside under the stars. 

He hadn’t slept much. Most of the night he had laid staring up into the starry sky, unable to think. A few times he drifted off into a restless sleep, unable to remember the visions that plagued his subconscious. When the first light of morning appeared over the mountain peak, he rolled up his sleeping bag and simply sat, waiting for everyone to wake up.

The letter responsible for changing the direction of his journey sat by his bag, the cursed parchment mocking him. He didn’t want to look at it, but he didn’t want to get rid of it. After all, it was the only physical object she had left him.

A tree nearby dripped fresh sap onto the ground, giving him an idea for how to deal with the letter. Callum dug a paintbrush from his bag and dipped it into the sap. He opened his sketchbook and brushed the sticky substance onto the back of the letter. He pressed it onto an empty page, and set the feather in the crack of the spine. He didn’t think he’d ever want to read it again, but he would keep it as proof that Rayla had once loved him. Or at least, she said she had. 

Had that been an illusion, too?

Callum bit back the thought. Not now. He didn’t want to confront truths and lies and illusions right now. He needed to get back to Katolis and help Ezran with all of the things he needed to do as king. There was a great deal of healing still needed among the human world, and Ezran would help to usher in the new era of peace. Harrow had said he would become Ezran’s most trusted advisor. He could focus on that for now. At least that was something he might be capable of doing.

He inhaled deeply as he heard the soft footsteps approach him. “Callum, may I speak with you privately?” Lujanne called him over.

He gave her a small nod and followed her to the ruins where they had defied her only a few nights prior. Why did it have to be here? The memory of dancing with Rayla to open the portal bubbled up into his chest, and he shoved it away. Callum sighed. “You were right, Lujanne. I never should have messed with the portal.”

“No, this is my fault. I should have known better than to think two teenagers would listen to my warnings.” She flashed him a mischievous grin meant to break the tension, but Callum only looked away. “When you showed me that you could use magic, I should have realized I wasn’t dealing with an ordinary mage. I should have given you more information, explained a bit more, so you knew just how dangerous this portal actually was. And if you still insisted on using it, I should have been here to guide you and keep you safe.” The elf took a deep breath and brushed a rock aside with her foot. “Promise me one thing, Callum. The next time you want to mess with dangerous magic, please let someone help you.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t be messing with magic at all.”

Lujanne sighed. “Do you truly believe that?” Callum clenched his jaw but did not respond. Lujanne rubbed her temples and inhaled deeply. “Callum, listen to me carefully. A human connecting with an arcanum is unprecedented. For so long, a human mage has meant dark magic is involved. That doesn’t mean you are unworthy, but it does mean that you are going to be regarded with much skepticism, especially among Xadians. There is just so much we don’t know.” She shook her head. “And you are more important to this world that you know right now. Be careful with your life.”

A flash of anger crossed his mind before dying out like an ember from a campfire.

More footsteps approached, and the king and his guard appeared, accompanied by Allen. Ezran clung to Bait, and had his pack strapped across his back. The sight reminded him of their journey to deliver Zym to Xadia. “Callum, it’s time to go.” Bait croaked in agreement.

Lujanne placed a hand on Callum’s shoulder. “When you’re ready, you are welcome back here. I will teach you what I know about moon magic.”

Callum forced a smile. “Thanks, but, I don’t think I’ll be back.” He slipped past her before she could reply. Soren frowned and looked at Ezran, who didn’t show any reaction to his brother’s words. 

“Goodbye, Lujanne. Goodbye Allen. Thank you for everything.” Ezran rubbed the head of the little bird in Lujanne’s arms. Bait croaked his own farewell. “Take care of them, Phoe-Phoe! I expect to see a healthy phoenix deliver the next letter!” The little bird chirped in reply, and Ezran smiled back. 

The group started their descent down the Caldera. Something deep within Callum tried to hold him back, as if his coat had gotten stuck on a nail. His last shred of hope was snagged on the entrance to the Moon Nexus, the way his coat would get stuck on a stray nail in the castle stables. He pushed whatever it was away, ripping the last shred of his heart from inside of him.  _ I never should have dared to believe she would stay with me. _

Allen wrapped an arm around Lujanne’s shoulder as they watched the humans leave. “Do you think he really won’t be back?”

Lujanne shook her head. “It will take some time, but he will be.”

“How do you know?”

Lujanne smiled. “A little moon bird told me.” She gave Allen a wink and then tapped Phoe-Phoe on the head. She stared at the departing group, and her face fell.

Though she was an illusion expert, she couldn’t hide her concern from him. “What’s wrong Janey-Lu?” he asked.

“Something is nagging at the back of my mind. It’s like I should be remembering something, but I can’t make the connection.”

Allen rubbed his nose against hers. “I’m sure it will come to you as soon as you stop thinking about it.”

Her smile returned. “You’re right. Let’s go have some tea. There is a chill in the air.”

* * *

The journey back home to Katolis was somber. Soren and Ezran did their best to lighten the mood, but Callum barely heard a word they said. When they would stop to rest, he would pull out his sketchbook and make a half hearted attempt at drawing the king and his Crownguard, but all that came from his charcoal was a few scribbles. The flame of inspiration within him had been extinguished. The world around him had turned to shades of grey, and nothing seemed exciting enough to create a spark that would reignite that fire.

With a sigh, he closed his sketchbook and set it aside. Callum pulled his knees up to his chest and stared out across the river running by them. Soren and Ezran simply exchanged a knowing look, and then went back to preparing dinner.

Callum wasn’t sure how many days had passed, but somehow they made it back to Katolis. The grey castle loomed over him like a storm cloud as he entered it with his brother. Soren needed to make a stop in the barracks, so he departed at the gates. The two brothers proceeded into the courtyard in silence.

Finally, the young king could no longer bear the uncomfortable quiet between them. It was not right, not how their relationship worked. "Callum, are you okay?" Ezran asked.

“Not really, Ez.”

Bait gave a grumpy croak as Ezran gently set him on the cobblestone. “Wanna talk about it? We’re due for ‘big feelings time’ anyway. I’ll have Bait go get us some jelly tarts.” 

Callum didn’t answer, but shifted uneasily and clenched his jaw.

Ezran took a deep breath, and gently took his brother’s hand.“Callum, I know you’re not okay. And maybe it will be a long time before you’re okay. But...you can talk to me anytime. You know that, right?

Callum stared out into the courtyard, lost in his thoughts. “I’m tired of losing people that I care about, Ez. My dad died. Mom died. Then  _ our _ dad died.” His voice quivered as he ran his hand through his hair. “Claudia betrayed me. And Rayla left me. All that’s left, is you.”

Ezran shook his head. “There are still lots of people here who care about you, Callum. You’ve got friends in both Katolis and Xadia.”

“Yeah. And how long until they leave?” The question was barely above a whisper, but it hung in the air like a heavy snow cloud. He gave his brother’s hand a tender squeeze. “It’s time for me to act like the prince I’m supposed to be. I have to do everything I can to keep you safe.”

Ezran smiled at his brother. “You’ve always done that, Callum.” He held his arms out and Bait jumped back into them.

“No, I mean I need to do more.” Callum let go of Ezran’s hands and clenched his fists. His gaze fell to the ground. “Rayla wouldn’t let me go with her because I’m weak. She thinks I can’t protect myself.” A bitter laugh escaped from his lips. “Maybe I can’t. But that means I can’t protect you, either. I have to get stronger. I have to learn more magic.”

Ezran furrowed his eyebrows. “Callum, I don’t think that’s what Rayla meant.”

“Then what  _ did _ she mean?” Callum barked back. Ezran took a step backwards, his eyes widening. The anger in him abated when he saw the fear in his younger brother’s eyes. The last thing he wanted was to scare him. “Sorry, Ez. I just- I need some time. Maybe I should call it early tonight.”

“Okay.” He hugged Bait a bit closer to him as the glow toad turned a deep shade of blue. “Callum, you know I care about you, right?”

He gave his little brother a hug. “Yea, Ez. Thanks.”

The halls of the castle were empty and particularly cold this evening. It seemed that the route to his room had doubled in length.

He passed by that door.  _ Her  _ door. The room where he had tried to make a home for her here in Katolis. He placed a hand on the aged wood, remembering how delighted he had been to be a part of her new life, and have her living under the same roof as him. He often thought about the future they could have together, sometimes allowing his daydreams to get a little wild, creating a life together, imagining starting a family with her.

But in the end, she had chosen to chase after Viren, rather than be part of this family. In some damned pursuit of sacrifice that she refused to allow anyone in on. He swallowed that ball that kept trying to rise in his throat. This had been her choice, and he had to respect that. No matter how much it hurt.

* * *

Elsewhere in Xadia, a lone Moonshadow elf sat in front of a small fire, doing her best to keep out of sight. There had been no sightings of dark mages in this area, so she would continue south to the ruins of Elarion. It would be a good hiding place for a dark mage trying to stay out of sight.

Her thoughts wandered, turning to Ezran and Callum. Had they made it back to Katolis safely?

Did Callum hate her?

She shoved those thoughts away, burying them deep within her heart. She could not go down that line of thinking. Love and happiness were luxuries that she could not have. She had made her choice. She had left to protect them.

Rayla  _ had  _ to find Viren. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got posted a little later than I intended, because it was honestly hard to write. I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Obligations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum grapples with the expectations of the council.

These stuffy political meetings were not enjoyable for Callum, and he doubted that his brother liked them either. King Harrow had largely kept the boys away from the dealings of the council, so he knew they were important, but it still felt awkward. The floor beneath him gave a slight squeak as he adjusted to a more comfortable position. Opeli turned to look at him, and gave him a small smile. Callum pulled at the collar of his shirt, loosening it slightly. He would much prefer to be in the library. He had just come across a particularly interesting book on ancient runes, and he hoped he could find something about draconic language in it.

He pressed his lips together to stifle a yawn. Corvus gave him a slight nudge with his elbow, and a knowing nod. His job as Ezran’s advisor demanded that he pay attention to politics, but that didn’t make this meeting any easier to sit through. “Relationships between Katolis and the remainder of the Pentarchy are still strained. It would behoove us to start taking steps towards repairing those relationships,” Opeli stood tall and brushed a wrinkle out of her sleeve.

“You’re right, Opeli,” Ezran replied. “Our relationship with Duren has strengthened, but there is a great deal of healing to be done. What do you all think we should do?” 

“Should we have a summit of the Pentarchy?” asked a short stout man named Doren. “Perhaps a discussion could help us come to an understanding.”

“I think it would be best if we did something more proactive than simply meeting,” stated another member of the council.

“Perhaps we could hold a party to help celebrate our newly crowned king and prince,” Opeli offered. “It would solidify your legitimacy in the eyes of the Pentarchy, and would also provide a more relaxed atmosphere to dialogue with the other kingdoms.”

“I think that may also help ease some tensions within the kingdom. We could have the Sunfire Elves attend as well. Perhaps a more relaxed environment will help us start to mend the damage done to our relationship with Xadia.” 

“A party may be a fun time, but do you really think it would help smooth over tensions?” Ezran asked.

“Absolutely,” Opeli stated. “In fact, it would be a good opportunity to declare our intentions to forge an alliance with Xadia. Other kingdoms will likely follow our lead if we initiate the peace agreements.”

Doren cleared his throat. “While I think it is important to solidify our alliance with the Sunfire Elves, this may be too sensitive of a topic to celebrate at this time. After all, there is still a great deal of tension between the Pentarchy and Xadia.”

“True,” a red-haired woman stated. “A premature celebration might make tensions even worse.” A few council members grumbled in agreement.

“Forging peace with Xadia is of great importance,” Ezran said. “I want my people to be able to live in peace and build relationships with whoever they want.”

“That is a noble effort, your highness,” the red-haired woman said. “But, it might yet be out of reach.”

“We do have another option,” Doren said.

“What’s that?” asked Ezran.

“Prince Callum,” Doren addressed him. Callum straightened up, keenly aware of how all eyes had suddenly trained to him. “You are approaching the age of adulthood. You should consider entering into a marriage to help your kingdom. A partner from Neolandia would be a good choice to help smooth over tensions between our two nations.”

His stomach twisted and he swallowed the bile that crept up his throat. Prince Kasef had nearly killed him, and now the council suggested that he marry into the family? 

“No!” Ezran barked. “My brother is not a political pawn.”

“It is a reasonable suggestion,” said a tall gentleman with short silver hair. “Many princes and princesses have done similar things in the past.” 

Bait croaked on the throne and turned a shade of pink. Ezran made fist. “Sticking to the traditions of the past hasn’t served us very well. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Callum cleared his throat. “Hello, right here? Yea, the person whose future you’re talking about?” He waved as if he were greeting the council for the first time. “Look, my job is to advise the king. That’s where my focus is right now. I have important things to attend to.” He shot an irritated look at Doren before reminding himself to keep a neutral face in these meetings. “I’m not interested in getting married to someone I’ve never met. In fact, I don’t want to think about marriage at all. I don’t need anything distracting me.”

“Callum,” Ezran said with a hint of warning.

“A celebration it is, then,” declared Opeli. “Perhaps something to coincide with the changing of the leaves. We should try to have it before winter sets in and makes travel difficult.”

The council fell into discussion of planning the celebration. Opeli looked up and quickly gave Callum a knowing smile before returning to her argument as to why the residents of Xadia should be invited. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Though that should have had a calming effect, his heart beat in a wild rhythm and a bead of sweat trickled down the back of his neck. The room suddenly felt like it was closing in on him. His chest tightened and he could feel the flush creeping into his cheeks.

“Excuse me,” he whispered to Ezran.

He walked out of the room as quickly as he could without alarming any of the guards. They let him pass through the doors without sparing him an extra glance. Once he was out of the door guards’ line of sight, he ran. The walls blurred, a tingling sensation crept up his arms, and it felt like a banther had laid on his chest.

_ Get outside, get outside _ he chanted to himself.

Before he knew what had happened, he was on the roof, gripping the balcony. His breath heaved in his chest, the fresh air filling his lungs, calming him down. He closed his eyes and focused on his connection to the sky arcanum. Like a balm on a burn, it soothed him and brought him back to the present.

_ Breathe _ . He heard his mother’s voice.

Callum stood there, steadying himself on the stone wall, inhaling and exhaling for quite some time. Soft footsteps patted near him and he opened his eyes to see Opeli giving him a warm smile.

“Prince Callum, are you alright?”

He blew a big breath out of his mouth. “Yes.” He relaxed his grip on the wall. “Thank you for intervening back there. I appreciate it.”

“Of course.” She joined him at the wall, gazing out over the courtyard. “You know, Prince Callum, the law of Katolis allows you to declare yourself betrothed at 16 and you can marry at 18. If there is someone you are in interested in, it’s certainly not too early to start courting someone you think may-”

“You too, Opeli?” Callum all but shouted at the high cleric. Opeli took a step back and raised her hands in a defensive gesture. “How many people do I have to say this to ? I’m  _ not  _ interested. I’m not going to be used in some sort of political marriage game. All I want is to study magic and protect Ezran. I don’t need to be tied down to someone to do that,” he spat.

“I’m sorry, Prince Callum! I thought-”

“I’m going to the library. Tell Ezran I’ll see him at dinner.” Heat pulsed through his body like a wave, tinged with a bit of shame at how he stomped away the way he used to as a child. He just needed to get the library, where he could bury his nose in a book and be far away from any politicians.

* * *

Viren wasn’t here. Rayla cursed under her breath. A dark mage  _ had _ been here, but there was no way to tell who it was. 

There  _ were  _ some ancient Elven ruins that had caught her interest, but they were in an old script that she couldn’t read well. She was able to make out a few words, such as “defeat” and “mage,” but the script was just too old, and many of the markings were smudge beyond recognition. This would have been a very handy time to have Callum and his sketchbook around.

A sharp inhale accompanied that thought. It wasn’t the first time she had questioned whether or not leaving him behind was a mistake. She shook the thought away. It didn’t matter. He would probably never want to see her again. That was alright, as long as he was alive.

“What are you doing here?” a voice sneered behind her. Rayla turned to see a Tidebound Elf pointing a harpoon straight at her. 

Rayla raised her hands and took a step back. “Woah there, I’m not here to cause any harm.”

“Then why are you here?” his smooth baritone voice had a deadly edge to it.

“I’m looking for someone. A dark mage who needs to atone for his crimes against Xadia.”

The elf lowered his weapon. “There has been no one here in ages.”

“But I traced dark magic to this place.”

“Yes. Once, long ago, this place was defiled with dark magic by the first human dark mages. We have been trying to purify it ever since, but it is a challenging task.”

“I would imagine it is. I have seen what it does to humans.” Rayla gently hugged herself, remembering the horrible image of Viren draining Zym’s life at the Storm Spire.

“Then you understand why this place is kept guarded.” The elf sat down and conjured a small fire. He took out two cups and a tea kettle. “My name is Condatis. I am the guardian of these ruins.”

“I’m Rayla,” she sat across the fire from Condatis.

He gave a curt nod. “Please have some tea. I’d like to know why a Moonshadow Elf is hunting a lone dark mage.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as you have probably been able to guess, updates are going to be a bit sporadic. I'm hoping to get a new chapter up every two weeks. I hope you enjoyed this one!


	4. Prophecies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's celebration time in Katolis, but not everyone is in the mood for a party. Meanwhile, Rayla learns of ancient legends.

Ezran dragged Callum out of the library late that morning. He had been spending most of his time there, finding what information he could on Xadian history and lore. Unfortunately, the library contained very little about magic at all, and even less about sky primal magic. On occasion, he would peruse through a book that Viren had consulted for as long as he could stomach it. Although he had no intention of using the dark arts, there had been nuggets of information among those books that had helped him learn a bit more about magic and the primal sources. 

The young king’s concern for the well-being of his brother kept growing. Callum would often lose track of time and forget to eat, or go to sleep at a decent hour. Soren had been put in charge of making sure that Callum took care of himself. He had become single-minded, and it had Ezran worried.

Then, the delegates from Duren and Evenere arrived and the king was pulled into other matters. Del Bar delegates came next, the day before festivities began. Neolandia had made quite the show of declining the invitation from Katolois, much to the dismay of Doren, who kept insisting Callum consider marriage as a way to form an alliance with the kingdom. The prince continued to refuse, but he  _ had  _ considered using the  _ Fulminis _ spell on the old man on more than one occasion.

During the festivities, Callum tried his best to put on the face of a competent crown prince, but it was quite exhausting. Nearly everyone had questions about his ability to use magic. Most individuals were genuinely curious, but several met him with disdain. Dark magic was the way that humans put Xadia in its place, how it showed that humans were not “lesser beings.” To these people, being able to connect to a primal source was, in essence, becoming “one of them.”

It was exhausting.

But yet, even the most wary of the visitors seemed to be warming up to the Sunfire Elves who temporarily resided in Katolis. Even if their feelings only amounted to not avoiding them in the hallway, progress was progress.

After the battle of the Storm Spire, the Katolis and Duren had worked on developing an alliance with the Sunfire elves, and Janai took on the crown of her people. Lux Aurea still needed a great deal of repair, so Ezran had offered refuge in Katolis until the great city could be properly inhabited again. Because of the loss of their light, the city had encountered many difficulties in its repair. Katolis was not ideal for the Sunfire elves, but it was better than leaving the elves homeless.

The autumn leaves started to drop from their trees as the celebration finally drew to a close. The only thing left now was tonight’s ball, the closing event. Although he couldn’t say he was looking forward to the ball, Callum couldn’t wait for it to be over.

The ballroom had been decorated with flowers and leaves from the remainder of the late-autumn foliage. The winter berries that had started to appear on the branches of the forests of Katolis provided a nice accent for the various arrangements placed around the room.

Even before the death of King Harrow, these large gatherings unnerved Callum. He certainly enjoyed learning about the other human kingdoms, but performing the political conversation dance was incredibly draining. And like most things expected of a prince, he wasn’t very good at reading political nuance. Thankfully, Ezran had been adept at rescuing his brother from putting his foot in his mouth on more than one occasion. He was happy to leave the talking to the young king whenever possible.

For most of the year, this ballroom seemed enormous - much too large for any of the daily activities at the castle. But tonight, it was packed full of Sunfire elves as well as notable people from Duren and Katolis alike.

King Ezran and Queen Aanya stood by the dessert table, engaged in what looked to be quite a jovial conversation. The young queen’s hearty laugh echoed on the walls nearby when Bait flopped his tongue onto the pile of jelly tarts, rolling two straight into his mouth.

An orchestra composed of both humans and Sunfire elves played various tunes while the attendees ate and drank and danced. In another lifetime, he would have been thrilled to see this diverse group enjoying itself in the palace ballroom. Amaya and Queen Janai were leading the crowd in a particularly vibrant song from the orchestra. The elf cracked a rare smile at the General, who beamed back at her.

Callum forced a smile on his face, pressing his back against a wall so hard that he hoped it would swallow him. Gren waved him over, an invitation to join the crowd in the Sunfire elf dance. He felt his nose crinkle in disgust before forcing his face back into a happy look. He dismissed the commander with a small wave of his hand. Yes, he had promised Ezran that he’d do his best to enjoy the evening. But it was all just unnecessary pomp and circumstance. He wanted nothing more than to just get back to the library and continue his research.

Besides, he hated dancing. It reminded him too much of a happier time in Xadia.

The upbeat song came to an end. Amaya and Janai took their bows while the crowd applauded. A musician with a stringed instrument led the rest of the orchestra in a slower ballad. People paired off into couples and lost themselves in their private conversations as they swayed to the slow beat. 

“Hey there, Crown Prince,” Soren sidled up to Callum, a glass of wine in hand. Soren leaned a little too close, and Callum’s nose was assaulted with the scent of fermented grapes. 

He gently pushed the clearly-inebriated man to a more comfortable distance. “Hey there, Soren. I thought guards weren’t supposed to drink while on duty.”

Soren let out a belly laugh and then slapped the prince on the back. He knocked a cough loose from Callum, earning stares from a few partygoers nearby. Callum raised his hand to let them know he was okay and they went back to their conversations. “The General gave me the evening off. She told me to go wild, as long as I am ready for duty when the sun rises!”

“Yea, you should go to bed, or you’re probably not going to be able to uphold your end of the bargain.”

Soren dismissed his concern with the wave of a hand. “Nah, I figured out how to make Claudia’s hot brown morning potion. A few sips and I’ll be good.”

“Yea, I’m not so sure,” Callum started as the guard draped a muscular arm over his shoulder and leaned in a bit too close again. 

“So, I heard the council is trying to get you betrothed to some royal person from Noodloodia.”

Callum clicked his tongue in disgust. “ _ Please _ tell me you didn’t come to talk to me on behalf of Doren,” he said.

“No no, not at all,” Soren raised his glass up to inspect the wine inside. “I’ve never seen you as the political marriage type.”

Was that a compliment or an insult? “Uh, thanks I think?” 

“Buuuuuut,” Soren swished the wine in his glass, “you’ve got a couple of admirers in the crowd.” He nodded his head over his shoulder, signaling toward a group of people behind him. A group of women giggled when he looked in their direction, and a young man shyly looked at the floor. “Maybe you can get Doren off your back by showing interest in someone else. You should ask someone to dance.”

“No thanks,” Callum replied flatly.

“Aw come on. It’s a party. Have a little fun.” Soren nudged Callum just a bit too hard, and a few drops of wine spilled onto the ballroom floor.

“No,” Callum said a little more forcefully. Catching his short tone with the guard, he took a deep breath and shoved his growing anger into his belly. Soren didn’t deserve his anger. He was only trying to help. The prince lowered his voice, “I don’t like dancing.”

Soren narrowed his eyes at Callum. “You never had a problem dancing before.” Soren stared at Callum for a moment, his narrowed eyes searching for an answer. Something must have dawned on him, because his eyebrows raised as he took a step back. “This has to do with Rayla doesn’t it.”

Callum clenched his jaw. “No.”

“Callum, It’s been months since she left. She hasn’t even sent a letter.” Soren placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him the same look he used to when Callum fell in the mud during sword training. “Maybe it’s time to move on, Callum.”

Move on. That’s what he had told Rayla. That’s what started all of this. He had wanted her to move on. And now Soren was telling him the same thing. Move on. Callum’s lips twisted into some sort of devilish smile and a quiet, bitter laugh escaped from him. Soon, a callous, almost evil laugh was echoing from the walls around them. 

Soren shrank back, cradling his glass, eyes wider than when he’d first seen Zym after he hatched. Callum wiped away a few tears that had escaped from his laughter. “Yea Soren. I guess it is.”

* * *

The morning sun peeked through the trees surrounding the dilapidated building Rayla had spent the night in. She stepped out of the ruins of the doorway and stretched in the morning light. The sun gently warmed her up as she loosened the tension that had built up in her muscles from sleeping on stone. Waves crashed on the rocks below the cliff. If she had been the type of elf that meditated, Rayla imagined this would be a great place to do so.

Condatis sat next to a small fire nearby, boiling a pot of water. Steam rose from a cup that he gingerly took a sip from. “Good morning” he spoke slowly. 

Rayla silently chastised herself for not remembering to be stealthy. What good was all that assassin training if she was just going to give away her presence in an unfamiliar place? “Good morning,” she said cautiously. 

The Tidebound elf settled his cup just beneath his nose and inhaled deeply. “Come, sit,” he gestured to the empty spot across from him. “I have an extra cup. Would you like some seaflower tea?”

Rayla imagined that the salt from seaflowers would not make for good tea, but a hot drink sounded nice. The sun may have been warm, but there was a definite bite in the late-autumn morning air. “Sure,” she said as she took the empty place.

A wave crashed below, sending a sound like thunder rolling up the wall of the cliff. Condatis placed a blue bud into the cup and added boiling water. “It sounds like a storm is rolling in.” He handed the cup to Rayla. She gave him a small nod and looked into the cup. The hot water had opened the bud, revealing a golden center. Rayla smiled as the water slowly turned a beautiful shade of purple.

“Give it some time. The flavor improves the longer you allow it to steep.” Condatis took another sip of his tea. “Rayla, I have given some thought to this dark mage situation you told me about. If he has indeed survived death-”

“I  _ know _ he is alive. I saw him in the portal at the Moon Nexus. He might have been caught between life and death, but he is definitely on the side of life.”

The Tidebound elf frowned. “I do not understand how one could be caught between life and death but also be alive. But if you have seen it with your own eyes, then we must assume it is the case. This mage-”

“Viren,” Rayla interrupted.

Condatis shot her a look that made her wither.  _ Okay, don’t interrupt him again, _ she thought. 

“This  _ Viren, _ ” he continued, “it is unlikely that he survived the fall from the Storm Spire. We must assume that he was resurrected.”

“Resurrected? But how could that happen?” Rayla took a sip from her cup. There was a slight hint of salt, but it was surprisingly pleasant. “I’m a Moonshadow elf. I’ve heard many philosophies and theories about the nature of death, but I have never heard of anything that could bring the dead back to life.”

“That is because you know little of dark magic. It would be a terribly dangerous task that would certainly impact the life of the mage, but a particularly skilled dark mage might be able to pull such a thing off.”

“But, how?”

Condatis shook his head. “I do not know any specifics. But if it was dark magic, it was likely a gruesome deed.” He took another sip of his tea. “But if this is what happened, we know two things. One, that Viren’s life will be significantly altered. One cannot come back from death unscathed. And two, that we are dealing with at least one other powerful dark mage.”

Anger swelled in Rayla’s chest. “His daughter, Claudia. It had to have been her.” 

“She is also a dark mage?”

“Yes, and unfortunately she seems to have learned much from her father.” Rayla took a too-large drink from her tea. The liquid burned the tip of her tongue. She swallowed the yelp that formed in her throat. It was a good thing she was adept at masking her emotions, or she may have made quite the fool of herself in front of the Tidebound elf.

“Mmm yes, you mentioned that.” He looked out onto the ocean below, and furrowed his brow. “But Rayla, do you truly think two human dark mages could have corrupted the Sunforge at Lux Aurea alone?”

“Viren and Claudia are very cunning. They also hate Xadia. With enough trickery, I would imagine they could do nearly anything.” She took a much more careful sip of her tea this time, hoping not to burn any more of her mouth.

“I’m not convinced.”

Rayla snorted, hot steam filling her nose. “What else could it possibly be?”

Condatis took a long sip on his tea and set the empty cup on a flat-topped stone near the fire. “Come with me, child. There is something I would like to show you.”

Rayla took a large sip to finish off her own cup, silently thanking the stars above that the liquid had cooled enough to have mercy on her taste buds. She set it next to the empty cup of her companion and followed him further into the ruins.

Condatis led her to a large stone building that had definitely seen better days. The roof had long since disappeared, and crumbling walls surrounded a chipped stone altar that stood in defiance of the remaining structure around it. “This was once the Great Temple of Elarion. The humans had priests and guardians who would bring offerings to the elves in the area, and the elves would in turn share what they could with the humans. They lived harmoniously, in a sort of symbiotic way. The humans brought treasures and taught the elves their crafts. The elves shared their harvests and taught the humans how to heal each other, and how to make medicine.”

Rayla crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. Really, a tired old history lesson? “But then the humans learned how to do dark magic and were driven from Xadia. Everyone knows this story.” 

Condatis chuckled. “It wasn’t quite that simple, young one. That’s the story we tell, but the truth is a bit murkier. It is true that the humans eventually grew jealous of the elves and our ability to do magic. The unicorns tried to help with primal stones, but” he crossed his own arms and looked at Rayla with a twinkle in his eye, “you know how that turned out.”

“Are you mocking me?” Rayla answered with a small laugh. 

He let out a hearty laugh. “It’s good to be able to tease someone again. Don’t worry, I only jest.”

“So the jealous humans nearly wiped out the unicorns when they learned dark magic. That’s pretty straightforward.”

The Tidebound elf smiled at her. It was very similar to the smiles Ethari would give her when she said something obvious as a child. “And how did the humans learn how to do dark magic, do you suppose?”

Rayla shrugged. “One sick scholar, I had always supposed. Those humans sure do have a thirst for knowledge.”

He chuckled slightly and shook his head, but then his expression turned serious. “It was one of the Great Ones. An elf who’s name has been lost to history, but left an indelible scar upon it regardless. He taught the humans how to siphon the primal energy from magical creatures and perform the abomination we now call dark magic.”

Anger bubbled up in her chest again and Rayla took a step back. “You're lying. An elf?” Her voice grew louder than she intended. “Why would you tell such a lie?”

“It’s no lie,” he responded softly. “The truth is here on these walls.” He gestured to the crumbling walls. Like those outside, runes were carved on every surface that still stood. “You may read them for yourself, if you like. We like to paint ourselves as the noble ones in our history, but not all elves are benevolent nor pure.”

The memory of Ezran diving into the frozen lake to save Zym’s egg appeared in her mind.“And not all humans are evil and power hungry,” Rayla whispered. It was if the moon had suddenly illuminated a truth that had always been in the shadows of her heart. 

“As you have discovered from personal experience, the history we are told is not always the truth.”

The memory of Callum explaining how Avizandum had killed his mother bloomed into her mind. Callum and Ezran had helped her see that humans  _ were _ worth sparing. And she had left them. She quickly shook the memory from her head before she could fall further down that rabbit hole. “What happened to this elf?”

“That too, is information lost to history. Some say the other great ones locked him away where he could do no more harm. Others think Sol Regem sought him out and killed him after he destroyed this place.”

Rayla rubbed her arms. Had it grown colder in these past few minutes? “You seem to know a lot about this. What do you think?”

The Tidebound elf ran his fingers along the writing on the altar. He looked at the dirt it left on his finger and let out a sigh. “I think the truth is written on these walls. They are the words of human oracles who tried to issue a warning to the future.”

Rayla touched the writing on one of the stone walls. “This is ancient Elvish, though.”

“Humans used to know our language. Remember, the oracles wanted to live in harmony with us.” He rubbed his fingers together, trying to rid them of as much dirt as possible. “Though they could not use magic, they could feel the arcanums, and hear the messages from beyond this world. On these walls, they warn that the dark elf will return, but that one with the power to defeat him will arise.”

“One with the power to defeat him? Like a dragon?”

Condatis shook his head. “The oracles never said. They did give this individual a name: Neirin.”

Rayla raised an eyebrow. “Neirin, really? As in the warrior from the nursery rhyme? The one who used the key of Gaul to unlock the underworld?”

Condatis nodded. “Where do you think nursery rhymes come from? They are rooted in both truth and legend.”

“Yea, I guess if you buy into all of that.” Rayla traced one of the runes on the wall. “Why did you want to show me this? What does this have to do with my search for Viren?”

“I ask you again, do you really think two human dark mages could corrupt the Sunforge alone? It is an immensely powerful artifact, one of the most precious objects in Xadia. You say they are cunning and powerful, but are they so powerful that they could commandeer an object that the elves use to remove dark magic?”

Realization poked a hole in Rayla’s thoughts. “You’re saying you think this dark elf has reappeared, and is somehow helping Viren and Claudia?”

“I’m not saying anything. But I am asking you to consider it as a possibility.”

Rayla buried her fingers in her hair. “This is ludicrous! It’s the things told to children to scare them, to keep their behavior under control.”

“And yet, it is the truth written on these walls.”

A wave of disbelief rippled through her body, and she sank to the floor. This isn’t true. This couldn’t possibly be something real. Nursery rhymes? Ancient human oracles? An elf teaching humans how to wield dark magic? There was simply no way any of it could be true.

And yet, what reason would Condatis have to lie? He was no illusion mage, and setting up such an elaborate ruse would serve no purpose.

These past few months had been constant destruction of what Rayla thought she knew. The humans hadn’t destroyed the egg of the Dragon Prince. Some humans were evil, but many were good and kind, like Ezran. And they had been told that elves were monsters that drank blood. Humans could even connect to an arcanum. She could even fall in love with one of them. Rayla dug her nails into her palms, using pain to push that memory away.

“Are you alright, young one?”

The voice of the Tidebound elf broke her from her thoughts, and she realized she was breathing too quickly. Rayla concentrated on taking slow, deep breaths. Maybe this was absurd. But what was her life now if not absurd? She found her voice, and spoke softly, “If this dark elf has emerged, if all of what you say is true, then we need to find this Neirin.”

“If he has, then yes. But it is also true that this dark elf has long since been lost to history. For all we know, the dark elf was defeated years ago. Neirin may not exist.” He placed his hands on his hips. “But, I put my trust in this place. I believe the ancients, and I think it would be foolish to discount their prophecies.”

Well if accepting far-fetched nursery rhymes as truth was something she was going to do, she might as well dive all the way into the madness. “Hey, Condatis. If this Neirin actually exists, could they help me defeat Viren?”

Condatis snickered softly. “Yes, if Neirin is alive, they could easily overcome your human dark mage.”

Rayla huffed, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “How do you know this isn’t just a bunch of rubbish that the humans made up to try and save their own skin? How do I know you aren’t completely out of your mind and have made up this wild story to scare off visitors?”

Condatis smiled softly at her. “Because my grandmother was one of the great ones.”

* * *

Callum flipped open his sketchbook. Invisible daggers pricked at his chest when he saw the letter. He quickly turned the page, his breathing suddenly growing rapid. That was not a path he was willing to go down right now.  _ Breathe _ he thought to himself.  _ You can do this. _ He  _ needed _ to do this. If he could just get his memories of Rayla onto the paper, maybe they’d stop living in his head. Maybe then he could move on like everyone wanted him to.

But what should he draw? There were so many moments to choose from, and if this was to be the final time he would draw her, it needed to be something from a good memory. He closed his eyes and remembered that brief, but happy period where they rebuilt the ruins so that Callum could open the portal. It had been exhilarating to have a secret that just the two of them were sharing. After one of the days of hard work, she had stood by the lake, the moonlight pouring over her. She turned back to look at him, a genuine and happy smile across her face, and his breath hitched in his throat. Yes, that is how he wanted to remember her. 

Charcoal met paper, and like so many times before, Callum let the sketch take on a life of its own. He kept his mind focused on the emerging image, etching the memory on the page before him. Each line was drawn with great love and care. Each stroke was laced with emotion - both happiness and heartache. When the pain of her leaving him started to needle its way into his thoughts, Callum focused on the sounds of sketching echoing in the room, burying the sadness. 

The moon was high in the sky when he finally sat back and admired the completed sketch. He allowed a bittersweet smile to spread across his face. Callum wiped an errant tear from his cheek. When had that slipped out? He looked out of the window above his desk. The moonlight flooded into the courtyard below, giving the black trees an eerie white silhouette. Once, he may have found it beautiful, but tonight it felt like a mirror of his own heart.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Callum turned the page and placed a bookmark, so that he would not have to see that last drawing of her the next time he opened the sketchbook. He took a deep breath and shut the sketchbook, closing the Rayla chapter on his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dearest readers, I am so sorry for taking this long to update the story. Between the holidays and being a perfectionist, it took me a long time to get this good enough to post it. :) I hope the fact that it's almost as long as the past 3 chapters combined makes up for the long wait. As always, thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Yea so, like every Rayllum fanfic writer, I'm adding my own thoughts to this new development. I'm jumping out of my comfort writing zone a bit - I generally like to stick to one shots, because I don't like leaving a work unfinished, but if I wait until I've got this story finished, we'll be in Season 7 and I won't want to post it anymore because it's deviated from canon so much. XD 
> 
> Anyway, I have two endings in mind for this piece, so we will see where things go! Thank you for reading, friends!


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